Featherfall
by The Riddick
Summary: With the fall of her King, the Labyrinth lays in turmoil. New, darker forces seek to end Jareth and with no other sanctuary left, he turns to the one thing he could never have. Sarah. Warnings for mature language and situations.
1. Prologue

_Author's note: Yeah, I am unsure about this one. I have never written a Laby fic, but this idea won't leave me. So, I am testing it out. I don't really know what to rate it either because it is pretty damn innocent so far. I haven't even written a curse word yet. However, there will be blood, violence, swearing, and hints at lemonade later on possibly. Like I said, I am not sure yet. We will see. I will edit it as I go. Yes, the main pairing is indeed m/f. However, there will be hints of others in here. Btw, yes the title is different on AFF. It has been renamed due to cheesy retardation on the part of my scattered brain. The world really doesn't need another fic named after a song from the movie -derp-_

_Disclaimer: No, I do not own the movie Labyrinth, nor any of its characters, however there are several originals that will make an appearance her that are mine. I am making no profit other than my own enjoyment from this story. I also own none of the music featured here for they are all from David Bowie. Worship him. He is God. Enjoy._

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><p><strong>Featherfall<strong>

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><p><em>Prologue<em>

Warm air, spiraling and rising, tugging gently at her wings, lifted her into its comforting arms; arms that thrilled her and sent her heart into a delightful patter. Muscles in her wings stretched and contorted to the wind's caress and she could feel the movement of every darkly tinged feather. Her eyes flitted out over the world below, eyes zooming in on the moss covered stone, the twisted, enchanted trees, and even the rows upon rows of hedge that contorted into a dizzying pattern that seemed to have little reasoning. She watched those clever walls shift far below in the fading sunlight. They were familiar. However, the thought left her simple mind the moment that she wheeled to the left, feeling the strong currents of air tug and encase her. A delighted screech rushed from her open beak against the feeling. She felt free and fulfilled. Nothing else in the world mattered at all and she was content in the simplicity of everything.

And then a gentle whisper drifted across her feathers. It was soothing and seductive with an addictive flavor that peaked her curiosity. She needed to find the source of the sound, the vibration. Her wings snapped in tight to her body and she allowed herself to drop, gravity welcoming her hungrily. Her eyes dilated as the ground surged upward, but her decent was stopped by her large wings snapping out wide, muscles aching with the strain. She skimmed over the walls below, wings pumping the air hard to carry her as she allowed the glorious feeling to sweep her over the tops of the stone walls. They shifted almost longingly below her, as if envying the sky that held her. But she ignored it all in favor of finding that whisper. Again she heard it. It was her name. And oh was it such a exotic sound, rich, soft, like a brush of silk or smooth chocolate over gravel. It seared her from the inside out and beckoned her onward. She could not resist such a voice, nor did she want to. It was familiar, haunting, and altogether wonderful.

Her wings pumped harder at the air, feathers skimming over the tops of glittering leaves that reached after her as she passed. The voice was becoming stronger and rather than a whisper, her name had become a song. It strung together upon itself in a breathy stream of wisping syllables that held her enraptured. Her hazel eyes narrowed in as she spotted what appeared to be a tower jutting out from the shifting walls. Why did that look familiar as well? Her wings shifted to ease her into a wide circle around the structure and the voice murmured lovingly to her. It seemed so pleased to be close to her, so relieved. She craned her neck to look at the ancient stone that glistened in the fading sunlight with a magic older than the world itself. And then she spotted it, the source of the voice. Her eyes widened in realization, but her body continued to move closer to the large window that welcomed her with a hidden deceit. She needed to get away! She could not go inside of that tower!

Her deadly beak opened to let out a shriek of protest as her wings pounded against the think air to slow her momentum. Her talons stretched out wide and she alighted on something soft and yielding. Silken black fabric gave way easily beneath her claws, but they did not sink into the skin beneath. She felt powerless as her body settled comfortably atop the arm of the man that sent so many confused and mixed feeling spiraling through her. Being a bird, she was unable to comprehend most of them. However, she did understand that she needed to be away from him. A smile, one that was strangely sincere graced his features and his eyes, one an intense cobalt blue, the other a golden emerald green hue, watched her with what she could only guess was contentment.

Just as the sun barely touched the horizon, she became aware of her body shifting, elongating. Feathers melted away in a tingling sensation to reveal pale skin, wings condensed to shape arms, and her legs grew longer. All of this happened in a matter of seconds and though the change was certainly noticeable, the process was not. It were as though in one instant, she had been bird and the next, girl. The man had easily moved her into his arms once the change began and he waited patiently for it to finish. Her wide eyes turned to meet his even stare and confusion swirled about in those brown-green depths. He quirked a single elegant brow at her and that typical arrogant smirk that fit him so well stretched his mouth into a toothy grin.

"Ah, hello Sarah. I've been waiting an awfully long time for you to answer my calls," He began in his rich baritone that held a bit of annoyance despite his efforts to conceal it. The melodious sound jolted her from her stunned state and she struggled to remove herself from the extremely intimate position he held her in. The black clad man seemed to anticipate her fighting, for he held tight, crossing the room in a few elegant steps before seating himself upon a simple high backed chair. He held her upon his lap, arm curled about her waist casually even as she thrashed angrily.

"Let me go, Goblin King!" She hissed out, eyes flashing in warning, though she knew very well that he was far more powerful, at least physically. His chuckle at her outburst had her temperature sky rocketing. The cheeky bastard! Oh what she would have given to punch the ass right then and there. The King lifted a gloved hand to lift a tendril of her long dark hair and he twirled it through his fingers as his eyes studied it. His expression softened into a somber calm that had Sarah's anger receding slightly. She had seen that look before on his beautiful face. But that had been nearly five years ago when she had fought against him for the return of her brother. He let out a soft, wistful sigh and turned his attention to her face.

"Still so defiant and quick to react. I don't have long so just allow me this simple pleasure for the moment," He murmured as he drew her head to rest against his slightly exposed chest, his face dipping to nuzzle against those soft strands that he adored. His eyes closed in contentment, just holding her there, his hand stroking her freckled cheek. Sarah was at a complete loss. Dazed by the strangeness of his behavior and the ominous feeling that had settled over her with his words, she could not find it in herself to fight him.

"What is going on, Jar-" A single finger stopped her before she could finish the name, miss-colored eyes watching her carefully.

"You mustn't say my name. Not yet. If you do, they will find us all too soon and then my time will be up. I can't explain much, for doing so will take too much time and it may attract their attention." He began, glad that she no longer resisted his hold. "In short, for the past twelve years, I have been in hiding. That is, five years in aboveground time. I am being hunted by those of my own race whom seek to bring me into exile or even death because of the events caused by you, my dear." Her jaw dropped open slightly and she felt a strange sinking sensation in her gut.

"You can't possibly be blaming me for this!" She yelped out, glaring heatedly at him again. He smiled fondly. Oh how he had missed her anger.

"But it is you whom has been the catalyst for these events, including the waning of my power and the slow decay of the Labyrinth. Because I had broken the rules, because you have defied the laws of this world with your very being, and because you denied me, the balance of power here has been upturned. However, it is my fault that I had gone through such bold steps to capture you in a game so as to lure you into my realm," He explained. Sarah bit her lower lip, eyes turning to look out the window as she pondered his words.

"So... why did you do it? Why me? Wasn't Toby all that you were after?" She asked in mild confusion. He grinned at her, but said nothing on it. A huff of frustration

escaped her lungs and she averted her gaze to the unfortunate stone floor. Why did he have to be so difficult? It was just like it had been all of those years ago. He evaded her questions with riddles and a well place smirk and pissed her off so much with just being in her presence. And yet, she strangely found herself enjoying the situation on some twisted masochistic level. He was a bastard and yet the fact that he was a bastard and hadn't changed sent thrills through her in a way that made her feel alive. "Will you at least tell me how I could have possibly started this all?" She felt him smile against her hair and was unable to suppress the butterflies that bounced about her stomach.

"You are human." He responded as though that simple fact answered it all. An almost animalistic growl rose from her throat against her annoyance with him. His laughter was light and oddly warm as opposed to the cold and dark tone it had taken on the last time she had faced him. Or had it really been so wicked? It had been a very long time ago, after all.

"So I, being human and getting through the labyrinth messed up everything including your powers. And now your kind is hunting you because you were beaten by a little girl." She stated bluntly, eyes glittering with challenge as she baited him. He did not disappoint her. His hold on her tightened and she could practically hear the man's teeth grinding together. A snide smirk curled the corners of her lips and she had to hold back her own smug laughter.

"Must you be so cruel, dear Sarah?" The king asked through his teeth, "And that is one way of thinking of it. Though, you didn't "beat" me, regardless of what your delusions have led you to believe." She raised an eyebrow and turned to look him in the eye, ignoring the way her heart skipped at being so ridiculously close to her childhood obsession.

"Oh, really?" She asked, "Then what exactly did I do?" He stared at her blankly, his indifferent mask hiding his shame and his pain along with the sharp barbs of anger that had rooted themselves within him after their last meeting. His gaze turned hard, showing a glimpse of that primal anger and Sarah tensed in his grasp.

"You rejected my proposal." He stated coldly, eyes hard and locked upon her lovely face. Her stomach dropped out from her altogether. What was he talking about? The man looked feral, wild, his uneven mane of rich platinum and gold and metallic blue jutting out in those gravity defying angles, his sharp features looking far younger than they had in the past. But his eyes, two bursts of violent color had her feeling thankful that she hadn't been standing, for surely her legs would have given out.

"Proposal?" She asked meekly, trying to move as far away from him as possible. His arms kept her close, however, and his gaze darkened further, lips tugging down into a frown as he studied her. She really had no clue.

"It is not important now and there is little that can be done. What's said is said and in a few hours it won't matter at all," He bit out, turning his gaze away to look at the sun that was still descending toward the horizon. The moment that it moved entirely beneath the sky, his spell that had hidden him would fade. Normally he would have flown from the tower to seek another place of hiding. However, he had finally spoken to her. There was no need to hide any longer. He had only wanted to see her again.

"Are they really going to kill you?" She asked softly, unable to explain the pain that blossomed within her at the thought. It sickened her to think of him as dead, that he wasn't always going to be lurking in the nightmares and dreams of those aboveground and ruling the labyrinth below. She bit her lower lip as her brows furrowed together, her mind trying to concoct a world without her arch nemesis. She could not.

"Yes," He breathed quietly, "It is the way of our kind. Only the strongest may rule the Underground. For one to become king, the former king must be killed." His throat constricted when the scent of tears filled his senses along with her soft perfume of wildflowers and thunderstorms. He turned his startled gaze to her, stunned to see tears cascading from her closed eyes. His heart cried out in agony at the sight and yet soared in elation all at once. The king traced the tracks of salt water with a leather clad hand, drawing a gasp from her. Her reddened gaze flitted fearfully to his face before shying to the side of the room away from him. "Why do you cry, precious thing?" Sarah swallowed hard, her throat tight and unyielding from the swell of emotion and fear that had overtaken her. And shame also hung heavily over her tense shoulders.

"I don't want you to die," She whispered beneath a shaken breath and the blond man felt something within him snap and heat, sending tremors of fire rolling through his limbs. She was crying for him. His arms wound about her tightly, pulling her into his chest with a protective sort of need that he had not felt often and only toward the few family members that he had left. This was different, however. Her small hands fisted in his shirt and she buried her wet face in the crook of his neck. She never ceased to amaze and baffle him. The girl had all but hated him for his cruelty and yet here she was, crying for him and clinging to him as though he were going to be ripped away from her. Hope fluttered cautiously in his chest and he stroked her back soothingly. It had been centuries since he had held someone in such a way, and that someone hadn't been his obsession. Needless to say, he was overcome by the whole of it all. "Isn't there anything that can be done?"

"Perhaps, but I do not know of what. Fighting them is not an option at this point," He responded gently, feeling the ice that had formed over his mind and heart give way for her. Always for her. She hiccupped and wiped at her tears, leaning back slightly to look up at him. Though her face was stained with red from her tears and her hair was in disarray, she was breath taking to him. But, he could not give himself to her entirely, not after what had happened last time. He knew all too well what had to be done for his power to return, however, she would not do such a thing, especially for him. But, perhaps there was hope.

"Will they follow you no matter where you go?" She asked, her eyes gaining that determined spark that had ensnared him from the beginning. Her mind was turning with ideas and solutions, planning and seeking an answer to this puzzle. Though she had grown older, Sarah still held that imaginative mind that allowed her to break apart the mazes set before her to find the correct path, or so she hoped. The King raised an eyebrow at the question, raking his own mind as he caught on to what she was implying. Aside from him there were no goblins capable of jumping worlds without a great deal of power or the assistance of a human.

"They certainly would have a difficult time of it if I left the Underground..." He mumbled absently, his own thoughts racing to seek out loop holes. Unless another advanced goblin like him was called into the Above, he would be virtually untouchable. But, he wouldn't be able to do it alone. His questioning gaze met Sarah's and she folded her arms over her chest.

"You don't even have to ask. You may have been my enemy and you may be an arrogant, self-absorbed, heartless, cruel, sadistic-"

"Alright, I see your point." He interrupted her with a roll of his eyes. He didn't miss the amused smile that lit her features.

"Anyway, even though I don't fully trust you, I don't think that I could handle not acting when I am perfectly able to help you. Despite everything, you are important to me, Goblin King," She finished, badly hiding her flushing cheeks. Happiness lapped at his insides regardless of her insults and he buried his face in her thick hair, inhaling her scent deeply. Sarah felt her blush deepen from the act of affection and gratitude. Since when had he become so clingy? "W-what do I need to do?"

"You will awaken soon. When midnight comes tomorrow night, say my name. It MUST be exactly at midnight. I will come to you then. There are preparations to be made before I can join you in your world. If I do not make it, I want you to know that I am eternally grateful to you," He said against her ear, relishing in the shudder that moved through her. And then he was aware of a fist tightening in the hair at the back of his head, jerking him back almost roughly so that she could glare into his eyes. He was thrown by the act of near violence against his person and strangely excited by it, his brows rising in surprise.

"You WILL make it, understand? If you don't, I'll kill you myself," She hissed in warning, "I'm not about to lose my nemesis to a bunch of pathetic retards that chase chickens for entertainment." He smiled genuinely at her response, laughing lightly, his eyes alighting with that wicked fire that they hadn't held in so long. His hand cupped her cheek tenderly and he leaned in to brush his nose against her's as her grip loosened. She turned timid at their closeness, looking very much like a deer about to be flattened by an eighteen wheeler.

"At your command, Milady." He all but purred before placing a faint kiss upon her lips. The sharp jolt of lightning that shot through the both of them had the room crackling with energy. The young woman let out a soft gasp against the powerful sensation, feeling as though every nerve in her body were ablaze. And then he pulled back, dazed and longing. However, he knew not to press her too far. It was by a sheer miracle that she had accepted him so far. The air about them hummed with magic and the very stone beneath their feet seemed to sing. Sarah's heart had crawled up her throat so fast that she was sure she was going to choke on it. He had KISSED her! Sure she had been kissed before, but never by someone who made her feel like the world was going to end with just a brush of his lips. And she had liked it. A lot. Her blush deepened and spread until she was sure that she'd be stuck that way. The king looked as giddy as a little boy on Christmas morning. However, that boyish smile vanished when a sound similar to chimes echoed up through the window. Instantly, he was once again the cold, roguish, Goblin King that she remembered. He rose from the chair, taking her with him and moved to the window to look out over the labyrinth.

"Here come the hounds." He murmured softly. "You must leave now, Sarah. If they see you, it will alert them of our plan. I will conceal you as long as I can until you are safe. "

"What about you? They'll capture you," She argued, even as she felt the beginnings of feathers growing from her skin. The king gave her a small, grateful smile and pressed his lips to her forehead before she was consumed completely by the change. Her mind shifted finally, taking away all of her worries aside from the need to fly off. With a flourish of her nearly 5 foot wing span, her muscles lifted her, talons tucking in tight to her cream underside. The air happily cradled her and danced about her as she shot from the window. Primary feathers spread wide and she beat the air to gain more height over the labyrinth below. Thermals of heated air played across her underside, giving her the extra boost that she needed. Up and up she went, circling in wide graceful arcs. Each turn brought her higher into the star littered sky that was still tainted with the lingering orange of the sun. She cast hazel eyes upon the tower one last time, a call of longing rising from her throat before the thick cumulous clouds engulfed her within their welcoming depths.

With a gasp, Sarah Williams shot up from her bed, covers tangled about her sweat covered body and her hair falling in tangled waves. Her breathing was harsh and painful, as though she had been underwater for too long and the air that filled her lungs was far too much for her to take it. Cold chills sprang up all across her pale skin and she heaved a great sigh of relief at discovering her surroundings. She was in her room in the real world and no longer trapped within a dream. Sarah ran shaky hands through her hair with a nervous laugh. She was twenty one years old and still having silly dreams of the Goblin King of all things. He would not have summoned her of all people. Besides, to do so would have broken the deal they had made long ago. He was to never have any contact with them again, namely Toby. So, she deduced, it had to have been a dream and nothing more. The screech of her alarm clock had her jerking nearly a foot off of the bed until she realized where the terrible sound was coming from and slammed a hand down on it.

"Ugh, get a grip, Sarah," She muttered darkly. Her fingers snagged in her hair and she tugged at the tangle, her blood running cold when a strange texture registered against her skin. She pulled the object free from her hair and held it up in the faint light from her closed window. It was a single dark feather tinged in a burnt red about a foot long. The fine hair on her neck stood on end as realization grasped her in a constricting fist. The Labyrinth had touched her once again.

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><p><em>AN: Reviewers make my muse work faster and also bring about artwork. 8D  
><em>

-Riddy


	2. 1: Scary Monsters

a/n:: After much revising and contemplation, and rewriting…and more rewriting, here is the next one. Enjoy. 3

chapter :: 1 :: Scary Monsters

Scary monsters, super creeps  
>Keep me running, running scared<p>

She asked me to stay  
>and I stole her room<br>She asked for my love  
>and I gave her a dangerous mind<br>Now she's stupid in the street  
>and she can't socialise<br>Well I love the little girl  
>and I'll love her till the day she dies<p>

-Scary monsters: David Bowie-

Hot, tar-like, black goodness rolled down her constricted throat, trying to ease the tension in her. Unfortunately, it wasn't working very well. Her hands shook as she clutched the glass coffee mug to her chest and she gripped the edge of the wood chair seat that she was perched upon in a fetal like position. She was losing her damn mind. Everything from the past four years had just caught up with her in one strange, painful dream, that's all. Jareth had not appeared to her last night, he did not kiss her, and she most certainly did not offer her home to him. Her eyes caught on the reddish plume that lay harmlessly on the opposite end of her small round kitchen table and chills broke out across her arms. That thing was another matter. She honestly didn't have a clue as to how she could rationalize the feather and she looked at it as though it were some large disgusting bug.

Why would he have called to her after so long? None of the others had EVER answered her, not even after _THAT_night. She had called and called and not even her mirror had flickered in the least. They had abandoned her. And so she had been left with a harsh lesson; dreams didn't make people come back to life and they, like everything else in the world, could leave you in an instant.

It had been that night that she had closed herself from the fantasy world, from her dreams, from _him_. And it had been that night that she had stopped dreaming. She became normal, an adult. And for a while she had felt strangely uplifted by it.

She had stopped reading anything that strayed too far from reality, stopped writing stories and pursuing her love of theater. Instead, she had begun focusing her mind elsewhere, in the only other direction her mind could wander and still excel. She had gone into the military. Well, rather, a military academy, but not as a soldier or technician, but as a glorified problem solver. She was being trained to be a tactician. Also, due to her strange charisma, her professors had also nudged her in the direction of foreign affairs and linguistics. It was boring work most of the time, unless she was given a particularly challenging situation to debug, but it kept her occupied. As long as she didn't have any actual part in fighting, she was content to be where she was. She had just finished her final examinations less than a week ago, labeling her as a bonafied representative of the United States government and a relatively high ranked officer. She'd even fired a gun a few times. It was so radically different from her previous life. Then again, life had a way of turning people over on their asses.

She forced herself up to her feet after finishing off her "breakfast" and slunk off to the shower to wash away the grime that she had accumulated during the night. She felt filthy. And she needed to wash away the lingering feel of him from her skin and hair. Just a dream, she reminded herself, yet again. After a fifteen minute trip to heaven, she dressed in a simple light green t-shirt and loose black sweats, tying her still damp hair up in a neat ponytail. She was on leave for the next week before she began her first assignment which was most likely going to be some boring meet and greet with a group of stuffy old bastards. Her family had wanted her to visit home at some point, or rather; her father wanted her to visit. She'd resigned herself to stopping by for a couple days, despite the bile that threatened to overtake her each time she was reminded of that place. Sarah paused mid-way through tying the laces of her running shoes, her eyes taking on a distant shade of muted gray. She had no desire to enter that house ever again. Karen was there and so were all of those terrible memories that swam through the walls like ravenous sharks, waiting to corner her. And then of course, there was To- no, she would not think about it. It was too hard. She swallowed back a swelling of tears that pricked at her eyes like heated needles. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she released the tension of her thoughts and finished putting on her shoes.

Since it was early and she knew she had no chance at all of sleeping in, Sarah planned to go on a run and get rid of all of the dark thoughts that were crowding her muddled brain. She had to get herself together before later on. She had been invited out with a group of her fellow graduates to celebrate their success, and because fun was something that she was severely lacking these days, she was looking forward to it. This whole Jareth mess had her all out of sorts. Stupid snooty, arrogant, "my crotch art mightier than thou" pretty boy and his ability to turn her into a knot of jumbled emotions! Sarah growled under her breath and stomped out into the hall, locking up her apartment and slipping her key back around her neck. She was NOT going to think about him anymore today. At all. But...then her mind tripped over a stray thought. _"When midnight comes tomorrow night, say my name. It MUST be exactly at midnight. I will come to you then..."_She swallowed hard as his voice oozed through the cracks in her armor. Was he truly in need of her? Did he really exist? Sarah shook herself, dismissing the idea. She had a date with a five mile jog and she wasn't going to let anything, not even her childhood fantasy interrupt it.

The pavement outside of her bland, brick apartment building crunched beneath her sneakers, the perfect rows of buildings stretching down the street in a sort of identical uniformity that often grated on Sarah's mind. Despite being off of the base by a few blocks, it was still military. The lawns around them were the same, the trees; hell everyone even drove the same crappy silver impala. She swore that one of these days she was going to take gallons of the brightest, most random neon paint and just coat her gray colored building in them until her eyes bled from looking at it. She thought of it as a good long term goal. The air was hot and thick, fairly typical for the time of year in southern Florida, but she was fairly used to the heat and the strain on her lungs was minimal. Several of her neighbors were out and about and gave her cheerful waves as she passed to which she returned. Everyone was always so nice to her, at least off the base. It was almost weird. People went out of their way to be friendly, especially if it managed to get a smile from her.

It was a nice change from the indifferent and often closed off attitudes of her hometown. She smiled to herself, more energy filling her steps. She was welcome here and it was starting to feel more like home with each passing day. She turned toward the boardwalk, as the rows of apartments cut off at the base perimeter, her fingers turning up the volume of her old Walkman to drown out the roar of jet engines taking off to her left.

She lost herself inside of the music, letting her concerns about her nightmare and her apprehension about the upcoming outing with her classmates float away. And before she knew it, she was slowing to a walk at the end of the pier she usually ended her run at. Her breathing was rough, lungs drinking in air as sweat all but poured from her and caused her clothes to cling uncomfortably to her tone figure. But she was so caught up in her runner's high and the rewarding feeling of once again finishing the trek that she didn't mind the discomfort. Knowing that she was getting stronger and faster was worth every ache and every blister. She leaned forward to rest her forearms over the rail and stared out into the waves with a silly grin on her flushed face.

A large flutter to her right had her jerking back however, immediately on the defensive as her eyes went wide and she let out a startled cry. She held a hand to her once again racing heart as she stared at the small creature that had decided to land not a foot from where she rested. It was a bird, a breed she had seen many times in the area but never cared to name or pay much mind to. It cocked its head to the side curiously at her, hopping along the rail to get a closer look as the baffled woman took a step back. Brilliant yellow and black, the small bird was a splash of color against the dark blue green sea that was deepening in hue thanks to the sun beginning its descent. Sarah was shocked by the intelligence that gleamed in its pale eyes that watched her as though it were sizing her up.

"Um…hello there? Sorry little guy, I haven't gotten anything for you to eat. Go bother some nice tourists or something," She laughed lightly, pointedly trying to not notice the almost knowing gleam on its features. A happy chirp left its beak and Sarah shook herself with a light chuckle. "That dream must have bothered me more than I expected. I half expected you to invite me to tea or something. Bye-bye, little bird,"

The brunette shook her head at her over active imagination and ready to get back to her apartment, she took off once again. Of course she did not notice the pleased look that crossed the little yellow creature's eyes, nor did she notice it flitting along behind her.

"Sarah! You made it!" Was the cheerful greeting of Melody Jensen, another linguist like herself, as Sarah stepped inside of the crowded, bustling diner. It was a large place, one of those half bar things that was riddled with sports merchandise and more military paraphernalia than Ebay. The scent of fried food, beer, and man saturated every inch of the joint. It wasn't a terrible place, homey, lively, and excitement bubbled into Sarah's gut as she spotted the large group of her peers situated in several tables in the back corner away from the bustle of the bar and close to the big screen tv and the pool tables. Several wolf whistles rang through the room, mainly from the guys she knew, but a few bar inhabitants felt the need to join in as well. Her face flushed a faint pink and she cocked her head to the side with a shy smile, waving at the group. She rarely ever dressed in anything less than her military attire, and her hair, now grown to nearly the small of her back was left to fall loose about her shapely form instead of its usual tight bun. Her body was sheathed in a simple black dress that clung tightly to her chest and hips before fanning out to swirl around her thighs and stop just above her knees. It had a square neckline, similar to the medieval dresses that she had filled her wardrobe with in the past, though it accentuated her bust and had a more modern feel to it. It was sleeveless, held to her body by inch wide shoulder straps. She wore a simple sliver choker about her neck and finished off her attire with a pair of low black heels.

She'd even put a small amount of makeup on, light eyeliner and shadow to accent her eyes and a fine gloss over her lips. Sarah had learned long ago that too much on her was anything but attractive. And so she may have gone a little overboard with her attire. Who cared? She hadn't made herself look good in years and after her nerve-wracking nightmare, she felt she deserved to pamper herself a bit. She wove her way through the room to Mellody's side, greeting the other woman with an impish grin. She was a plump, yet pretty thing, her hair light strawberry blonde and cropped even with her jaw.

"Damn, who are you and what have you done to Officer Williams?" A tall, muscular, red haired male asked with an appreciative look and a playfully lecherous leer that made Sarah feel good even if she wasn't all that interested in him.

"Just remember, Johns, I can still kick your ass, even with my hair down and my uniform off," Sarah retorted in a cold, even, matter of fact tone. Of course, her words only made his grin larger.

"Oh, promises, promises! Anytime you'd like, just yell my name and pull my hair while you're at it." He joked with a wink. Her face heated with a pink blush. That's not what she had meant!

"Hn, sorry Johns, you aren't really my type, besides, I doubt you'd be able to handle me anyway," She recovered, resting her hands on her hips as she forced back her embarrassment. He whined pitifully and clutched at his heart in mock agony, gripping the wood table beside him.

"Oh how you wound me, precious thing!" He cried dramatically. That name! Her eyes widened and face paled to an almost ghostly white when the name he'd given her registered in her mind. Her heart pounded in her ears until the only sound she could hear was the rushing of her own blood in her veins. _How you've turned my world, you Precious Thing..._

"Sarah? Are you alright?" Mellody asked, worry coloring her green eyes as she rested a steadying hand on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah blinked back into focus, her eyes having stared off out the nearby window blankly. A flash of yellow caught her attention and dread hit her once again. The same bird that she had encountered on her run hopped back and forth in front of the window pane.

"Um, y-yes, sorry, I haven't had a chance to eat much today. It's making me a little lightheaded," Sarah answered as she tried to clear her head of the dark voice that had washed around her like a torrent. Chills broke out all over her slight frame and she took a seat beside Melody, ignoring the jibes about her being sick because of John's pathetic attempt to hit on her. She accepted the water that was brought to her by a waitress, ordering a burger and fries along with cherry pepsi to wash it down.

"Come on, Williams, you aren't on duty, order a beer or something for Christ's sake!" Melody teased with a poke to the girl's side. Sarah stuck her tongue out with a childish sneer.

"Ugh, I don't like the taste of piss," She retorted.

"Just one, Williams?" Another pleaded, Johns placing a mug in front of her. Sarah eyed the tall frothy glass, the foam that floated so innocently atop the amber liquid. She glanced out of the window almost instinctively to see her little feathered stalker shaking its little head and hoping more turned back to the mug. An insistent, nagging warning bubbled up inside of her, begging her not to give in and Jareth's eyes from her odd dream, so full of longing stared back at her from the glass. Her jaw tightening, she curled a hand around the handle.

"Just one," She replied. One, turned into two, which turned into five. Sarah Williams was not a drinker and had in fact refused to drink more than small amounts. She didn't like the loss of control over her bodily functions and did not find the idea of making a fool of herself appealing in the least. Thus, as the thin, stale brew filled her light weight body, she very quickly started losing focus on what was going on and what she was supposed to be doing. She only knew that the lyrics to Major Tom had never been so difficult to keep track of and that Melody could not hold a tune to save her life. Sarah also could not understand why everything was so god damned funny all of the sudden. She giggled nonsensically over everything, eyes tearing up when Melody stumbled and held onto her for support causing them both to stagger against the bar.

Somehow, Sarah managed to find her way to a seat away from the loudness, trying to let her mind settle. She'd been trying so hard to run from something. What, she could not remember for some reason. There was a silly little yellow bird pecking at the window near her head and she chuckled at that. Such a cute little thing. She felt disconnected, as though she were floating alongside her body. Her reactions were sluggish, and her eyes hazy. There was something important that she was supposed to do. What was it?

"Hey, are you having a good time, babe?" A male voice asked from her right and blearily she looked in the direction, trying to place the face. It was Johns', she noted after a moment or two and she nodded with a silly grin. She frowned mildly however when while trying to focus on his face, she couldn't seem to help seeing a strange...darkness in it, something off that made her more off kilter. What was it?

"There was something..." She mumbled and he leaned in to try and hear her.

"What's that?" He asked and she swallowed, her tongue feeling swollen and dry in her stale tasting mouth.

"Something I need," She tried again, gripping the back of her chair as she moved to stand. His hands were cold, ice cold on her arms as he tried to steady her.

"I know what you need. Come on, I'll take you home, babe," He said with a smile. She could not place it, but his smile seemed wrong, his face seemed wrong, and yet, he knew what she needed and if he did, she had to go with him right? He could tell her what she was supposed to be doing, right? She nodded absently and Johns began escorting her to the door. His hands seemed far lower on her body than necessary, but then, she wasn't entirely able to feel everything, so she could have been wrong. Johns let out a curse as a flash of yellow shot past his ear, leaving a small cut behind and Sarah giggled at his expression. The bird didn't like him very much. Everything was just so far away from her reach. Somehow, she ended up inside of a vehicle. Lights passed before her eyes as it rolled along and she watched them blankly. Lights. Dancing.

"That's a pretty song, Sarah, what's it called?" Johns asked, snapping her from the lights. She hadn't realized that she had been singing again.

"I don't know," She mumbled, deeply troubled by this fact. Why didn't she know? It was so familiar, so beautiful in her mind. How could she not know?

"Sing some more?" Johns asked hopefully and she complied, the words falling from her lips unbidden.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes," The words came out slowly as if pushing through molasses and with each one she felt as though someone were stripping her bare, "A kind of pale jewel, opened and closed, within your eyes, I'll place the moon, within your eyes."

A hot burning built in her eyes and her fingers pushed over her cheeks, baffled by the moisture that gathered there. "Though we're strangers til now...we're choosing the path, between the stars, I'll lay my love, between the stars..."

Her eyes went wide as in a rush she was shocked into sobriety. A sharp gasp shot from her lips and a deep hurt grew in her chest. Her heart felt heavy and she glanced about her surroundings desperately. This was not the way to her apartment!

"Johns, stop the car," She commanded, holding her head against an on-coming headache.

"We're almost there, babe, I promise," He cooed, rubbing her arm from the driver's seat. Hot anger filled her veins and she glared over at him harshly.

"I said, stop the car, right now," She said through clenched teeth. He cast her a sidelong glance.

"You aren't going to hurl are you? We are almost to my place, see just right there. You can freshen up and you'll feel all better," He replied. His hand wandered down her arm boldly, to her lap, caressing her thigh in a manner that certainly made her want to puke. Like a viper, her own hand shot out and wrenched his from her body, causing him to swerve violently.

"Keep your hands OFF and stop the damn car NOW!" She shouted angrily and he slammed on the brakes with a curse. Before he had time to react, she was out of the car and stomping down the road, still wobbly on her feet. She raised her wrist to check the time, only to feel her stomach drop from under her. She hadn't worn her watch. It HAD to be close to midnight and judging from the dark, empty streets, there wasn't one anywhere nearby and she sure as hell wasn't asking the asshole rapist. She could hear his calling for her to come back, but she was having none of it and did not slow her pace. There was no telling what the bastard had planned for her. Jareth... he had unknowingly saved her from a potentially disastrous situation. Not, that she'd ever tell him. A pair of hands from behind had a cry rushing from her lips.

"Listen to me, Ice Bitch, I am sick of your attitude! You were being so nice and then you had to go and ruin- AAHH!" His rant was cut off by the heel of her shoe connecting with his testicles. Johns dropped like a rock. Sarah didn't spare him a glance and broke into a run, her heels clicking against the cement. She didn't have time to deal with that little bastard. Her eyes flitted about for street signs and familiar buildings desperately. Sarah's heart lurched. The park! There was a clock tower in the park! A surge of desperation sent her endorphins skyrocketing and using her burst of adrenaline, she pushed her body harder. Air in her lungs met the cool air in soft clouds of steam, her chest heaved and muscles screamed. She wanted to throw up, but she could not. Her heart would not let her. Fear spurred her forward and she ignored her discomfort. He needed her. Sarah's heels clacked loudly over the wooden footbridge as the park opened into a paved area. Tears stung her eyes. She wasn't going to make it!

"No," She panted out as she struggled to keep moving.

"Sarah!" An enraged male shouted violently to her right a moment before a sharp pain exploded across her face. She cried out and staggered harshly to the side, head swimming. The world tilted on its axis and she fell with a noise between shock and pain. Gravel crunched beneath a pair of standard issue boots as they strode about her prone form. She tried desperately to hold back the urge to vomit and turned to her side, her blurry vision focusing on the laces of his black boots. Johns. "I always could out distance you, Williams. Remember?"

She wasn't going to make it! A hand fisted in her hair and jerked her up roughly, another hand cupping her cheek in mock tenderness. She struggled, baring her teeth angrily and glaring up at the sneering red head.

"What's the matter, Johns? Did...did I hurt what little man hood you have?" She panted out. Sarah could not help herself; she would not cower before him. He was too weak and pathetic to make her fear him. He was no Goblin King! Another blow to her face had her head snapping to the side and yanked free a few hairs. Tears spilled down her sore cheeks and she felt a strange sensation bubbling up within her until it spilled from her lips. She was laughing. Johns looked at her like she was crazy. "If you only knew...how much of a pussy you hit like. He would kill you...you know?"

"Who would kill me? Huh, Williams, you little bitch? You? Who is he?" Johns spat, yanking her up higher and leering down into her face. "Hm? Who in the world would want to protect a spoiled little girl like you?"

A large hand closed around her throat and she was shaken. Her vision swam and she clawed at his hands desperately. The world was closing in on her fast and as she beat her fists against whatever she could reach until the darkness closed around her. A name sprang from her lips on a gasp and all she could do was pray.

"Jareth..."


End file.
